Donations to Islamic State jihadists have dramatically declined in the wake of brutal executions by the group that have shocked public opinion in the Middle East, the chief of US intelligence said Monday.

A Ukrainian journalist was killed by shelling in east Ukraine on Saturday, his newspaper said, even as the Ukrainian military reported a significant drop in rebel attacks, boosting hopes for a two-week-old ceasefire. Photographer Serhiy Nikolayev died after artillery fire struck near the village of Pesky, northwest of the rebel-held city of Donetsk, daily newspaper Sevodnya reported in an online statement. Earlier, Ukraine's military said fighting had eased significantly in the east overnight but reported GRAD missile attacks on the government-held town of Avdiivka, next to Pesky, which is home to one of Europe's largest coke plants. On Friday, Ukraine reported the first deaths among its servicemen in three days, underscoring the fragility of the truce, as government troops and rebels pulled back heavy weapons from the frontline. More » Ukrainian journalist killed in shelling …

Two Japanese ministers denied wrongdoing on Friday after media said they appeared to have received improper funding, the latest embarrassment for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, three of whose ministers have quit over scandals since October. Abe returned to power for a rare second term with a 2012 election win, promising to reboot an economy plagued by deflation, and his ruling coalition cruised to another big election win in December. The latest reports involve the environment and justice ministers. The Asahi newspaper said a branch of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headed by Environment Minister Yoshio Mochizuki, collected 1.4 million yen (7,605 pounds) from a logistics company which had received government funds. More » Two Japan ministers latest to deny illegal …